Unanswered questions
The Brewers had many issues to resolve before camps shuttered. Tom Haudricourt lists some.
PHOENIX – So many questions, so few answers.
That was the case for Major League Baseball and virtually every other sport after a wave of suspensions of play and cancellations Wednesday and Thursday due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus. Considering what was at stake, it was absolutely the right thing to do.
Then came word Friday that players have permission to go home if they want to await word there on when spring training – and the 2020 regular season – might resume. Or they could stay at their training complex. Or go to their team's city and work out at the ballpark there.
This is what it has come to for baseball. Nobody knows what will come next. Everything presumably depends on our country getting the coronavirus spread under control for good, which after all, should take precedence over sports.
Eventually, spring training of some sort will resume. As with most baseball clubs, the Milwaukee Brewers still had issues to resolve before camps were shuttered. Here is a look at the questions that remained:
Luis Urias’ left wrist
The young infielder acquired over the winter was still rehabbing from late January hamate surgery when camp opened, and was
focused on being ready to play – either in the majors or minors – when the regular season started.
He eagerly anticipated finally getting into an exhibition game, which was slated for Thursday before rain caused cancellation of that game and then Cactus League was suspended later in the day. Whether Urias had any real chance to make the Brewers’ roster for the now-postponed March 26 season opener was questionable, but we’ll never know how that would have played out.
Braun’s move to first base
Once the Brewers signed Avisaíl García to play right field, with Christian Yelich shifting to left, the plan was for Ryan Braun to see as much action at first base as he could handle, with Justin Smoak otherwise occupying the position.
Braun was easing into action in the Cactus League, as is his custom, when his right shoulder began barking, limiting his throwing. That setback delayed his game debut further, and he finally played last weekend, but only as the designated hitter.
That was the extent of his game action when play was suspended, putting his readiness at first base into question whenever the regular season begins.
Lauer’s shoulder shutdown
Left-hander Eric Lauer, acquired with
Urías in a late-November trade with San Diego, was battling right-hander Freddy Peralta for the final spot in the starting rotation when an impingement in his pitching shoulder led to being shut down.
There didn’t appear to be enough time to get fully ready to pitch again before the scheduled opener but we’ll never know exactly how that would have panned out. Now, depending on how long the season is postponed, Lauer might be ready to claim a roster spot.
Manager Craig Counsell already said Peralta and Corbin Burnes, who melted down in 2019, pitched well enough in camp to be on the pitching staff in roles to be determined.
Logan Morrison’s roster candidacy
Non-roster players with at least six years of major-league service who finished the previous season on a team’s 40-man roster or 60-day injured list, otherwise known as Article XX (B) players, must be told five days prior to opening day if they will be added to the 26-man roster. Otherwise, the team must pay the player a retention bonus of $100,000 to go to the minors or grant his unconditional release.
First baseman Logan Morrison qualifies for that status and was having a banner spring with the Brewers, with three homers, seven RBI and .964 OPS in 12 games, but that did not guarantee him a spot on a crowded roster.
Under the original schedule, the Brewers had until March 21 to tell Morrison if he would be kept or cut. The retention bonus seemed out of play because Morrison insisted he would not go to Class AAA. Or, as he put it, “I don’t want to be in the same league as Tim Tebow again.”
Filling out the bullpen
Three lefties – Josh Hader, Brent Suter and Alex Claudio – are assured spots in what figures to be an eight-man relief corps. Veteran righty David Phelps probably is guaranteed a spot as well despite his subpar showing in camp (6.75 ERA in four outings). And it would seem that either Peralta or Burnes would open the season in the pen as well.
That leaves three spots to be filled with a number of candidates in the running.
Right-hander Ray Black, who is out of minor-league options and therefore likely to be kept, was sidelined with a back issue when play was suspended, putting his status in doubt for the original opener. Non-roster invitee Justin Grimm was presenting a compelling case by posting a 1.50 ERA over six outings (one hit in six innings).
Knebel’s return from Tommy John
Reliever Corey Knebel, who sat out the entire 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery after spring training, has been progressing on schedule on his throwing program in camp.
At some point soon, he was scheduled to face hitters in live batting practice and then pitch in minor-league games. The minor-league season has been pushed back as well, so all such schedules are TBD. With an unknown start to the MLB season, Knebel could actually miss fewer games than originally expected. It’s difficult to say how any medical rehabs are going to progress at this point, since healthy players also are in limbo.
These answers, along with many others, will have to wait for now. In life-and-death situations, which certainly includes the coronavirus, sports must take a back seat. That is indisputable.